5 Unique and Niche Scents So Good, I Have Them All on My Wishlist
Sadaf Razi is Adore Beauty's Senior Beauty Editor.
She's a former fashion editor (who worked at various glossy mags) and stylist-turned digital beauty and lifestyle writer. She has been in the lifestyle/media industry for over 10 years and her work has also been featured on international covers like Elle France and Vanity Fair Mexico.
Some of her fave Adore Beauty products include Cicaplast B5, CeraVe Cleansing Oil and Lancôme Renergie Triple Serum.
Earlier this year, I was telling our Senior Content Manager about a bunch of incredible-smelling, niche fragrances that had come across my path and I wanted to share on BIQ.
These enticing scents from the more ‘underground’ perfume houses in our Scent Room were so unique and captivating, I decided I wanted to put my other fragrances on pause.
As a fragrance-lover, discovering non-traditional perfumes from brands like Juliette Has a Gun, Hermetica, Jo Loves and Australian-made brands like Goldfield & Banks and who is elijah has completely transformed my perfume palette and opened me up to a whole new world of scents!
Don't get me wrong, classic, timeless and traditional scents still hold a place in my fragrance wardrobe (and my heart), but I’ve become so enchanted by these head-turning perfumes that I’m now a ‘niche fragrance’ convert.
If you want a break from the same old fragrances everyone else is wearing, it's time to add a niche perfume to cart.
Here’s 5 of the best unique and niche fragrances I’ve personally been gravitating towards (plus, the alter egos I imagine wearing them)...
1. BDK Tabac Rose.
What: BDK Tabac Rose 100ml
Notes:
- Head: Madagascan pink pepper, plum accord, Italian lemon.
- Heart: Turkish rose, Madagascan cinnamon, chocolate accord.
- Base: Balkan tobacco absolute, Indonesian patchouli oil, Spanish labdanum resin.
Tabac Rose wearer’s alter ego:
She’s giving glamour, she’s giving ‘quiet luxury’.
She owns DIOR Rouge 999 lipstick, a LOEWE bag and watches Succession.
BUT, she's also giving one of the best niche fragrances for men. Yep, that's right - this BDK scent is unisex!
My BDK Tabac Rose review:
This gets first place as my favourite niche fragrance (could also be considered a niche cologne)
I would describe this STU-NNING scent as: opulent, mysterious, rich and has depth but isn’t heavy.
If you love Baccarat rouge 540 but don’t want to get it because now everrryyyyone and their aunty has it, you will love this.
Kind of in the same vein, it’s smooth, sexy and a little bit spicy too.
This fragrance is *so* beautiful and lingers on the skin and on clothing all day.
I also think this is the perfect ‘date night’ fragrance.
When my brother (who happens to be a big fragrance enthusiast) asked to order this with his ‘family and friends of Adore’ staff discount, I was intrigued.
After letting me have the first sniff, I almost offered to clean his house every day for the next month if he’d kindly let me have it.
Alas, no luck.
So I'll have to forego eating nice dinners or buying any clothes for the next little while so I can buy (afford) this instead.
A good fragrance lasts ages though and is so worth it when you smell like Tabac Rose.
Adore Beauty’s resident scent connoisseur and Junior Category Manager for fragrance and makeup Liz is also a fan and very chic wearer of this perfume.
And trust us, if Liz loves it - it must be worth spending your $$ on.
One spritz from this sleek vessel and you’ll be getting stopped on the street, attracting *many* mates (whether you want to or not) and, be the best-smelling person in the European heatwave.
2. who is elijah MORNING AFTER.
Notes:
- Australian sandalwood, amber, musk, cedar, leather, papyrus, cardamom, iris, violet.
Morning After wearer’s alter ego:
The cool girl that isn’t intimidating.
Attended Burning Man five years ago, but has since settled into her 9-5; stays on top of style trends and loves a beach swim on the weekend.
My who is elijah Morning After review:
The essence of Morning After is perfectly captured in this who is elijah Morning After review which you can read here.
For me, this was love at first spritz thanks to its perfect balance of woodsy and earthy notes that is so my vibe!
This has knocked who is elijah NOMAD EDP 100mL off its number one perch for me as one of my favourite new scents.
It’s currently the one I wear almost everyday and one I’ll always repurchase.
And if you want something that’s even earthier and leafier, EAU might be more up your scent alley.
3. Juliette Has A Gun Ego Stratis.
Notes:
- Head: Bergamot, mandarin, lemon.
- Heart: Neroli, calone, blueberry.
- Base: Cedar, ambroxan, musks.
Ego Stratis wearer’s alter ego:
They wear Japanese denim, Adidas sambas and mixed metals.
Is currently out of office sipping on an Aperol Spritz in a fancy yacht on the Amalfi Coast.
My Ego Stratis review:
Again, another fragrance I came to discover via my brother’s fragrance shopping spree.
I did a chaotic mini review of this ‘genderless cologne’ on my Instagram stories months ago and the short recap is that when I first spritzed this, I could immediately smell the more masculine-leaning notes which were softer and not overly aggressive.
The citrus notes then came through and what settled on my skin was a fresh, zingy and interesting scent that I couldn't stop smelling or spraying.
Its lightness makes it a perfect everyday scent and although it's punctuated with notes of citrus and cedar, it doesn't feel particularly seasonal.
One you could wear all year round!
4. Goldfield & Banks Wood Infusion & Island Lush.
What:
Notes:
- Head: Brazilian Sweet Orange. Australian Lavender.
- Heart: Italian Iris. Indonesian Patchouli.
- Base: Agarwood. Musk. Australian Exotic Woods.
Wood Infusion wearer’s alter ego:
Stays at the Elements Of Byron, gets regular facials and is very zen.
Only drinks cocktails or kombucha - there’s no in between.
My Goldfield & Banks Wood Infusion review:
Aside from Goldfield & Banks SUNSET HOUR Perfume 100ml which I’ve talked about before, my next niche fragrance pick from Goldfield & Banks would be Wood Infusion.
It's an instant mood-booster and honestly, this one feels more reminiscent of an ‘island’ smell to me to be honest!
I loved the undertones of this fragrance. A perfect harmony of citrusy, floral and spicy notes that’s super wearable.
What:
Notes:
- Head: Bergamot, pink pepper, nutmeg, ginger.
- Heart: Geranium, guaiac wood, cedar wood.
- Base: South Pacific sandalwood, Australian sandalwood, patchouli, vetiver, benzoin, leather.
Island Lush wearer’s alter ego:
Owns a Rolex, drinks Negronis and likes fast cars.
My My Goldfield & Banks review:
Ok technically this takes the list to six, sorry.
Firstly, I love that so many of the fragrances on this list including these two are genderless - and yes BIQ readers we have a genderless fragrances BIQ article en route you soon. Watch this space.
When I first told our fragrance connoisseur Liz that I love smoky, leathery and woody scents and was obsessed with Aesop Marrakech Intense Eau de Parfum 50mL and Aesop Eidesis Eau de Parfum 50ml (also my fave niche fragrances) she kindly gifted me Island Lush to see how I liked it.
I must admit, on first spritz I was a little overwhelmed by the intensity. The smokiness came on a little strong, and I wasn’t all the way convinced.
After about an hour of wear, it settles into a chic, cool leathery scent that lingers on the clothes for ages.
Despite the word ‘Island’ in its name, this feels like the perfect winter scent.
If you’re after a more powerful smoky scent, this is for you.
Shop Wood Infusion and Island Lush here:
If you want to find your own personal niche scent, we have a collection of great discovery sets so you can pick the best niche fragrance for you!
Check out some more of our scent-inspired stories below:
